Printing means



W. F. GRUPE PRINTING MEANS Filed July 30, 1936 Aug. 10, 1937.

4 Sheets-Sheet l Ln 1 N INVENTOR H ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1937. w. F. GRUPE PRINTING MEANS Filed July 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR William FGru e kWh/v TTORNEY RuPE PRINTING MEANS Filed July 30 1936 INVENTQR vyiHiOm G P ATTORNEY W. F. GRUPE PRINTING MEANS Aug. 10, 1937.

Filed July 30, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR W ham F Guru 2.

Y Q ms AVfO RNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFF c 2,089,789 mama MEANS William F. Grupe, Lyndhurst, N. J. Application July so, less, Serial No. 93,329

This invention relates to improved printing means. w This application is a continuation in part of my allowed co-pending application" Ser. #616,414, filed June-th, 1932, entitled Improved printing means.

' More particularly, my invention is directed to coating a web of printed paper or other suitable material with a layer of varnish orequivalent m agent, preferably regulated in, its applied thickness, whereby the web may be revwouh'd, or cut and staked, or otherwise handled,

, immediately after printing-'and/or' sions, to thereby precludeoifsetting ,9911- tacting surface of the impression while the application of the comng being had inform I of a substantially continuous illm of liguid by.

means free of contact with the printed r and the printing or impressions thereon andin a 6 manner without loss of ink and deslgn'value.

' My invention also applies to suitable apparatus for carrying out my process.

My invention is applicable for individual printed sheets to: prevent oflsetting when stacked. g My invention, in addition to precludingbllefiting, may, if desired, bring about an eflect upon the printed matter-in that the coating agent serves to impart a sheen-or brilliancy. so and otherwise contribute definitely in artistic efiect upon the resulting product.-

My invention is particularly applicable for mul- Further features and-objectsof the invention 5 45 will be more fully understood from thefo'liowing detail description and the draw-- in gs, inwhich Fig. 1 illustrates in side elevation, largely in diagrammatic form, of printing in a plurality of colors, two being indicated, upon a web of paper and the step of applying a film of offset-preventing material. "This view also indicates the step of re-winding of the printed web;'

Fig. 2 is aside elevation, on an enlarged scale, 5' of roller parts of any approved type of mecha-- online l-l of Fig.8;

tation metals, alloys, or the like, in which in-' nism for applying varnish lacquer or equivalent onset-preventing material; I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, on an enlarged of roller parts of a web-advancing mechanisin:'

Fig. 4 illustrates in side elevation, largelyin '5 diagrammatic form, the printing in two colors,

the stepof applying varnish or equivalentoi'fset preventing material and the further of lin pressing ametallic colon 1 5 is a diagram inside elmtionillustrating' 10 the application of my invention toprinting the opposite, that is, the reverse faces of aiweb of paper and to preclude oflsettin g;' a; 1 .Fig. 6 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale,

of a preferred form of unit for applyingan'o t l5 preventing medium;

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation, also ill i 'emting eertain parts in diflerentbperated positions, taken Fig. 8 is a front elevation or Fig. 6, (the por- ,tions of the'parts between the planes of theindldated dash lines being omitted {or p i po eor saving space for illustration;

Fig. 9 is asectlonal elevation, on a further enlarged scale, online 9-9 of Fig. 8;.and

Fig. 10is'amodi1lcationofFlg,3. j

In general, the invention relates to the. appllcation -of a suitable agent in film or other regulated-layer, preferably co-extensiye, with area of the printed surface, applied directly onto the'still-wet ink ,or other impression media, 'for preventing oflsetting oi the printed matter? My invention. is particularly applicable, but not limited to the printing of paper or equivalent material in web iorm in a plurality of colors," the color impressions being conveniently applied in any suitable type of accepted'or other approved multi-color printing machine, such the Channbon' printing machine, indicatedin'the accom- .panying drawings, whereby the respectivetolors 49 are applied successively to the web. Accordingly, the representations in the accompanyin drawings depicting the Chambon type of printing machine are for illustrative purposes only and represent but one preferred'iform' oi carrying out my invention. Referring to the ditio showing in Fig. i, aroli II ofpaper web may be rotatably' supported in any suitable manner, as by means of the oppositely disposed. bracket arms Ii, each having a forked bearing 12 forv freely receiving a rod or other supporting shaft 13,- passing through the central core of the roll ll. free I end ll of the web may pass about ajset ot rollers 15, thence between a pair of pressure pull 6 level.

rollers l6; the web 4 may thencecontinue in a substantially horizontal direction, as indicated by the applied arrows, to the first printing unit l1, then to the second printing unit |8,'et cetera,

' for the desired number of colors to be impressed.

ment the printing is eifected on the upper face of the web I4. I

The above stated printing units are preferably mounted on a common support, such as a table 2|. The table 2| is preferably mounted on a base 22, arranged for adjustably setting the upper face of the table 2| in a substantially horizontal It will be understood that each printing unit equipment includes suitable inking rollers, an ink font, and the usual appurtenant devices, inelusive of roller adjustment for the printing and impression rollers, all as well known to those skilled in the art. In carrying out the more simple embodiments of my invention, the web |'4, after impression of the desired printing and/or metalizing is treated with a film or other regulated layer of the offsetpreventing agent, as for example, a varnish, lacquer, or other suitable medium, such as may be prepared by dissolving cellulose, gums or resins,

such as',Manilla' copal, shellac, rosin, or any other suitable natural or synthetic resin, in a solvent or solvents suitable for such solution, and whose rate of evaporation is adjusted to the requirements of the process.

' stantially that of the The application of the film or layer of the agent is preferably made without physical contact of the mechanism applying the agent, the solution or emulsion of the agent being applied under regulated conditions from its supply onto the printed face of the web, as will appear more fully hereinafter;

As one form of such agent applying mechanism, I have illustrated the unit 23, which may be and preferably is mounted on the upper face of the table 2|.

The unit 23 comprises essentially an agentsupplylng roller 24, which,'in this instance, is shown disposed above the upper, that is, printed face of theweb H; the unit 23 also includes a'roller 25 for supporting the opposite, that is, lower face of the web, in regulated relation with respect to the agent supplying roller 24. A receptacle -26 containing the supply of the agent, is suitably arranged with respect to the supplying roller 24, to apply a continuous regulated film or coating of the agent upon the roller 24. Referring to Fig.2, the upper roller 24 is shown engaging the edge portion 4a of the web l4, the width of the printed area being indicated by the lines l4b. In such embodiment, the outermost, opposite flanges 26, 21 of the roller 24 are substantially equal, the inner diameter 26 being of slightly reduced dimension as compared with that of its associated outer flange 26, the diiference in radial dimension being sub- -Such arrangement thereby provides for the clearance 29 between the surface of the printed area |4b' on the web l4 and the cylindrical surface of the reduced portion 24:: of the roller 24, the dimension of the clearance 29 for a given thickness of web being regulated by the diam eter dimension of the cylindrical portion 24 thickness of the web l4.

tion 30:: of the roller 30 provides for clearance between the cylindrical periphery of the body portion 3011 from the layer or film Me of the offset-preventing agent applied to the printed area |4b of the 'web.

The dryer 33 is of any suitable construction; the atmosphere within the dryer is regulated in temperature by suitable means, such as an electrical heating unit, or by steam coils "or equivalent means, indicated schematically at 34, or by the use of heated air; under certain conditions, cooling is advantageous.

The web I4 upon completion'of the printing and'the application and drying of the ofisetpreventing agent may be re-wound, as indicated at 35.

The above indicated web-pulling rolls 6, the sets of rolls of the printing units, the offset-preventing agent applying means, the pull rollers 30, 3|, and any other supplemental sets of rolls are preferably positively driven in substantial 'synchronism, as by means of an electric motor 36,

driven as by a belt 31, to the driving shaft 38 suitably rotatively mounted and extending along the table 2| and positively connected by spiral and/or other gears with the shafts of the respective sets of rolls.

If desired, the web 4, after completion of the of the web, and the respective slitted lengths rewound individually, or cut transversely into individual printed sheets, and stacked.

The length of the dryer 33 and its temperature stated operations, may be slitted longitudinally are regulated pursuant to the rate of travel of the web, to effect substantially complete drying of the offset preventing material when it is desired to re-wind the web, or to slit and cut and stack the individual printed sheets.

When it is desired to apply a metallized imp'resas by a lower temperature provided by the heatingmeans 34, or ofless effective length of the dryer 33a, whereby the oflfset preventing agent is still tacky when the web |4 attains the metalizing applying unit 40.

The metalizing impression unit 40 may be of any suitable type by which finely divided or metal leaf is applied.

Upon completion of themetalizing impression, the web I4 is passed through the drying device 4| for final drying of the metalized imprint and the onset-preventing film or layer. The web' I4 is continued in its transit past the set of rollers 33, 3|, either to be r e-wound or slitted and cut into'individual printed sheets.

If desired, the metallzing medium may be apelement.

r the one or more printing units 56, for printing on one face of the web, thence through the offsetpreventing agent applying unit 23, oven 33a and supplemental cooling, unit 33b, thence through the plurality of printing units 5|, 5|, for printing on the opposite face of the web, thence through the offset-preventing agent applying unit 23, and final dryer 33, whereafter'the web is rewound or slitted and cut into individual sheets.

In Figs. 6 and 9 is illustrated a preferred form of agent applying unit. Such preferred form embodies the feature of applying the offset-pres venting agent by means of a rotary or other movable element disposed at a regulated spacing relative to the web or other sheet of material upon which the agent is to be applied, such unit being arranged, when desired, to continue the rotation of the applying element during the period of cessation of operation of the printing units to prevent drying of the agent on the applying element. The unit is also provided with means for discontinuing the operation of the agent applying element, usually and preferably by manual manipulation.

The agent applying element is actuated during periods of cessation of the printing and/or other, impression machine parts at a speed less, and preferably slightly less. than the normal speedof the element during simultaneous operation with the printing and/or other impressing operations, and suitable means,-such as an'automatically operatively effective clutch, is provided to substantially instantly accelerate the agent applying element from its lesser idle speed to normal speed.

By such provision of means, many advantages are attained, among-them being the facility of the agent applying element to effect operative relation relative to the web or other printed and/or impressed medium substantially instantly upon the starting or ref-starting of the printing operations; also, by the continuous movement of the agent applying element during periods of cessation of the printing operation, the agent is maintained in uniform and"'functional state It will be appreciated that upon quiescence of the agent applying element, the volatile constituents of the gent evaporate, whereby the resulting residue ould render the agent in non-operative state and otherwise gum up the agent applying As indicated above, the agent. applying unit is also preferably equipped to be shifted to the aforesaid non-coating position, during the stage of threading'or re-threading the web or other printed medium through the agent applying unit,

and for such other purposes as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Referring to Figs.'6 and 8, the agent applying of a cylindrical being mounted on or carried in the vertical stand- :ards 52 of the frame of the unit, the one shaft ."end' being extended for connection through the of the printing and/or impression machine proper. If desired. the driving shaft may be driven by an electric or other motor independently of the driving means of the printing and/or impression machine proper.

The agent applying element II corresponds to the roll 24, see Fig. 2. Associ ted with the roll 50 is a web carrying and posi oningroll 56 corresponding to the above described associated roll 25. The pathof the web I toward the agent applying .unit is indicated by the applied arrows,

and may include idler rollers 58, 59, 60.

Preferably, the web positioning roller 56 is mounted to be shifted relative to the agent applying roller 50, to afford convenience in threading the web through the unit, also for cleansing purposes, etc.; such arrangement may be effected by mounting the web positioning roll 58 on a bracket or like frame, see Figs. 6 and 8, the same com-' prising the hanger bearing brackets operated by the oppositely disposed arms 6| arranged to be I displaced by manual or other operation. As arranged in Fig. 6, the normal operative position of the web positioning roll 56 is effected when the manipulating member 62 is in'its position illustrated in this figure. Upon shifting the manual member 62 to its position shown in Fig 7, the web positioning roll 56 is shifted to spaced relation relative to the agent applying roll 50. As one means of effecting such arrangement. the shifting member 62 may be mounted upon the shaft 63, and cam means provided for operation of the displacing arms 6|, as by providing each arm 6| with a head 6 la. functioning with a cam pin 64.

Preferably, and as is embodied inthe illustrated 7 unit in Figs. 6 and 9, the web-positioning roller "56 is shifted relative to the agent applying roll 50 duringstages of stopping of the printing more fully hereinafter.

The normal operative drive of the agent applying unit may be' had by any suitable means. As

, roll 50, and connected and disconnected there withby means of anj automatically" effective clutch, similar to and if desired a duplicate of the automatically effective clutch 53 between the sprocket gear 54 and the shaft end Ila. a

Each automatically eil'ective clutch 53 is of any I suitable construction, to provide for thecontinuance of the drive ofthe shaft 5! of the agent applying roll 50 by itsindependent dri means during the period of cessation of the ve of the shaft 65, and to provide substanti upon starting or re-starting of the drive of. the shaft 65 for the rotation of the agent applying roll soat its normal speed, commensurate with that of the feed of the web ll through the agent applying unit.

any instantly and/orimpression units. v Preferably, such oper-' ation is efl'ected automatically, as'will appear essence a hollow housing 68 having an inner substantially cylindrical face, a therein enclosed ratchet member 69 provided with multiple tapered openings 10. In each opening I0. is enclosed a clutch roller II, or equivalent, the springs 12 tend to bias the respective cutch rollers II toward the tapered, i. e., effectively narrow area of the ratchet openings 10 in the clutch member 69. The clutch members H are positioned to engage the inner cylindrical face of the hollow housing 68. Assuming the drive of the shaft 65 to be brought to stop position, the skew gear 66 ceases its rotation, and therewith the skew gear 61, whereby the clutch 53 between the skew gear 61 and the shaft end 5la of the agent applying roll 5|! is moved to its clutch open position and substantially simultaneously therewith the clutch 53 between the shaft end 5M; and the independently driven sprocket'gear 54 is moved to its clutch closing position.

Referring to Fig. 9, assuming the gear 61 to be quiescent, the clutch housing 68 of its clutch is stationary, at which stage the rotation of the sprocket gear 54 continues, actuated by its inll of the independent drive clutch 53 are each m'oved outwardly in their respective tapered clutch openings, to thereby clutch the member 69 .and therewith the shaft end 5la of the agent applying roller 59 to rotate the roller under the independent drive.

Upon resumption of drive of the shaft 65, the skewgear 61 is rotated to its normal speed, greater than that of the speed of rotation of the sprocket gear 5l,'in which circumstances, the clutch housing 58 of the clutch 53 between the skew gear 61 and the shaft end He is rotated in the direction of the arrow 13, see Fig. 9, to thereby close its clutch 53. The speed of the clutch housing 68 secured to the skew gear 61 being greater than the speed of the clutch housing secured to the sprocket gear 54-, and the closing of the clutch by the skew gear 61 and the shaft end 5|a, causes the shaft end Sia to rotate at a a greater speed, thereby causing the clutch 53 between the shaft end 5la. and the sprocket gear 54 to be moved to its clutch open position.

Appurtenant parts are also indicated in Fig. 6

for the agent applying unit, such as a usual feed roll 16 "which extends into the tank 8| containing the agent; Such feed roll is mounted onthe shaft of and driven by its gear 82 meshing with its drive gear 83 which is suitably d'riven, as by securement on the shaft end 5ia;"I also indicate a doctor roll", the shaft 85 of which equivalent to .such rod 90, for receiving in its forked opening a pin 91 of a shifter '93, pivotally mounted at 94 on a suitable bearing, the free end 95 of the shifter having apin 96 for shifting the shift member 52 from its position shown in Fig. 6 to its position shown in Fig. 7, whereby theagent applying unit is shifted fromits coating position to its non-coating position automatically upon shifting-the respective printing and/or impression units' or stop positions and vice versa.

From the above, it will appear that my process comprises a step of applying to a printed area an agent whereby offsetting is prevented when the printed material is rewound or the otherwise wet ink or other medium of the printed and/or other impressions are brought into contact with an adjacent surface under pressure.

In the claims and in the specification I-have employed the expression offset-preventing agent to denote an agent such as above specified, 'or other media, singly or in combination, such agent being applied to the face of the printed paper or the like in fluid status to protect the wet ink (usually containing a drying oil such as linseed oil varnish) without causing blur or other deleterious effect to the inked matter and its outline, and upon evaporation and/or evanescence of the vaporizable ingredient of the agent, the residue forms a non-fiowable and/or elastic substantially uniformly distributed coating upon the "surface, and permits rewinding of the printed web and/or stacking of the thus treated printed surfaces without ofisetting.

Similarly, offsetting is prevented when the printed material in web form is slitted and cut into individual printed sheets, and the individual sheets stacked.

In certain classes of printing work, it is desirable to exclude or remove the offset-applying agent from a portion of the face of the web, for example, when it is desired to apply adhesive to such face portion, as .for labels, and for other purposes.

To attain such or similar result, the arrangement shown in Fig. 10 may be employed, which arrangement corresponds to that of Fig. 3, with the exception-of the addition in Fig. 10 of the collar 301), or enlarged diameter, adapted to contact with the face of the web to clear the web face of the offset-preventing agent. In a similar manner and in similar functional relationship, a-

collar or enlarged diameter portion similar to the aforesaid collar 30?), see Fig. 10, may be provided for the agent applying roll 24, to preclude application of the agent upon the face of the web co-extensive with the face of such collar. In

the latter form of the device, the agent is nonapplied-to the face of the web, whereas in the former form of the invention, theagent is removed from the face of the web.

Under certain circumstances, it is desirable to add sheen 'or enhanced glossing effect upon the unprinted portions of the face of the web or other printed material. To attain such result, I increase the solid content of the agent in proportion to the volatile ingredientskwhereby upon evaporation or evanescence of the volatile in-' gredients, the residual 'solid portion ,of the agent i is retained on the face of the web.

As will appear from the above, ink or other printing and/or other impression medium when contacted with-by the offset-preventing agent is preserved in precise outline. The preservation of the outline of the printed and/or other impression also ensues in the use of the agent for the additive sheen or enhanced glossing-effect.

If desired, metallic colors,embossed or nonembossed, may-be employed-in conjunction with or exclusively of printing in inks or like media.

If desired, \the printing in colorand/or metal may be had in advance of the stage of applying the offset preventing agent.

In the claims, where I use the term printing" 55 agent upon the surface of the material, means of absorbing types of material,

gredients which escape-from the agent by absorption or other form of evanescence, leaving the solid content of the agent as a residue.

My invention is of a special advantage in printing or otherwise impressing transparent and other material of non-absorbable character, such as hydrated cellulose, regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, glassine paper and the like, also tin foil, aluminum and other metallic foil. In the printing of the above stated non-absorbing types of web or sheet material, as well as for printing slow drying oil inks may be employed.

If desired, the coating agent may be applied by utilizing the structure of my invention to the printed surface after the ink and/or other impression has dried, in controlled thickness of plying means includinglamu disposed above the coating to thereby regulate the degree of sheen imparted to the web. I

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination ofprinting means, means for applying an ofl-set-preventing agent as a substantially continuous film of liquid and means for feeding suitable material firstly through said printing means and thereafter in operative relation with said oiI-set-preventing agent applying means, said ofi-set-preventing agent applying means including a roller for applying the stated agent upon the surface of the material inclusive of the printed areas thereof, means-for drivin said agent applying roller substantially at the surface speed of the material when said roller is in operative relationwith the material, and means for effecting removal of said material relativeto said agent applying roller.

2. The combination of prlnting means, mea for applying an oif-set-preventing agent as a substantially continuous film of liquid and means for feedingsuitable material flrstly through said' printing means and thereafter in operative relation with said off-set-preventing agent applying means, said--oif=set-preventing agent applying means including a roller for applying the stated for driving the agent applying roller when in operative relation to the material at substantially the surfacespeed ofthe material, means for effecting removal of said material relative to said agent applying roller, and means operative upon cessation of said agent applying roller driving means for rotating said agent applying roller at reduced surface speed. i

3. The combination of asuitable printing means including a printing cylinder disposedopposite its cooperating impression cylinder, means for feeding a web in printing relationwith said printing cylinder to impress printed matter upon the upper face of the web, said web feeding means in gcluding sets of rolls bywhich the web is positively fed, means for positively driving said sets of rolls to effect a predetermined surface speed of the web, means for applying a gloss imparting offset preventing agent in the status of continuous flow upon the upper and printed face of the web while the ink of the printed matter is undried, said gloss imparting ofisetpreventing agent apincluding sets of rolls by which the web is positively fed, means for positively said sets of rolls to effect a predetermined surface speed of the web, means for applying a gloss imparting onset preventing agent in the status of continuous flow upon the upper and printed face of the web while the ink of the printed matter is undried, said gloss imparting ofiset preventing agent applying means including a roll disposed above the upper surface of the web and having its agent applying surface spaced at a clearance from the upper nitude of such clearance to thereby correspondingly regulate the thickness of the agent applied to the printed surface of the web and correspondingly regulate the degree of the gloss imparted,

;and means for positively driving said agent applying roll at said predetermined sin-face speed of the web.

WILLIAM F. GRUPE..

r surface of the web, means for regulating the mag- 

